Roger Federer, the tennis star is the highest-paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes. The 38-year-old earned a total of $106.3 million over the past 12 months, making him the first tennis player to top Forbes’ world’s 100 highest-paid athletes list.
Athletes from 10 sports and 21 different countries made the list this year but only two women made the cut — still the highest representation of female athletes since 2016.
Federer, who is a 20-time grand slam champion, boasts the best endorsement portfolio in the world of sport, with $100 million of his earnings coming off the court.
![Roger Federer](https://sonkonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Roger-Federer-2.jpeg)
He leapfrogs football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to secure top spot.
“The coronavirus pandemic triggered salary cuts for soccer stars Messi and Ronaldo, clearing the way for a tennis player to rank as the world’s highest-paid athlete for the first time,” said Forbes’ Senior Editor Kurt Badenhausen.
“Roger Federer is the perfect pitchman for companies, resulting in an unparalleled endorsement portfolio of blue-chip brands worth $100 million a year for the tennis great.”
Juventus star Ronaldo ranked second in the list having earned $105 million last year whilst his fierce rival Messi, who plays for Barcelona, was in third with $104 million, down from the top spot in 2019.
![Roger Federer](https://sonkonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Roger-Federer-1.jpeg)
Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar and NBA legend LeBron James completed the top five with those two stars earning $95.5 million and $88.2 million respectively.
Rising tennis star Naomi Osaka placed 29th whilst her rival Serena Williams was 33rd. However, Osaka becomes the highest-paid female athlete in history after earning $37.4 million over the last year.
The 22-year-old amassed her pre-tax total through a combination of prize money and endorsements, raking in $1.4 million more than Williams.